Champions crowned at 27th World Senior Chess Championships

Great fights, quick draws, medals winning or losing in last minute – during the last round of WSCC 2017 in Acqui Terme players and spectators saw the whole range of action.

Open +50

Top favorite GM Julian Granda Zuniga (Peru) had already won the tournament after his victory in round 10. Therefore, in last round he agreed in a quick draw and won the tournament with 9,5 points out of 11 games (8 victories, 3 draws).

In the year 1980 the top player from Peru won the WYCC Under 14 in Mexico, and now, 37 years later, he became World Champion in this year’s Senior-championship. What a nice story! One point behind the new World Champion GM Rogelio Antonio (PHI) and GM Eric Prie (FRA) finished on second and third place.

Open +65

Six players started the last round with 7,5 points. Three great fights on top boards for the World Champion’s title was expected!

On third board GM Lothar Vogt (GER) and GM Vlastimil Jansa (CZE) never over-crossed the line of a draw and agreed in it after 28 moves. On board two GM Evgeny Sveshnikov (RUS) – with lowest tie-break – managed to win against IM Arkady Shevelev (ISR). With this result a medal was sure for him, but will he be second, or will he even be the new World Champion in his category?

On first board the two GM Anatoly Vaisser (FRA) and GM Eugenio Torre (PHI) tried also to win the game. Around the 24th move it seemed the Philippians hero will have a better position. But quite later the 4-times Senior World Champion Vaisser managed to win a pawn. Torre was able to defend his position in a draw.

After this result GM Evgeny Sveshnikov (RUS) became the new World Champion, half a point in front of 9 players with 8 points. The other medalists are GM Vaisser and GM Jansa.

Women +50

Number one seeded WGM Elvira Berend (LUX) started convincingly with 6,5 out of 7 games, but in penultimate game she lost to WGM Marina Makropoulou (GRE). A very fast draw in last round secured her the first place and the World Champion title.

WGM Makropoulou had a bad start of 3 points out of 6 games and then a perfect final with 3 points in the last 3 games. With this result she managed to finish on second place.

Bronze medal went to WGM Galina Strutinskaia (RUS) with 6 points as well. The ladies played only 9 games.

Women +65

The two Georgian players WGM Tamar Khmiadashvili and GM Nona Gaprindashvili dominated the tournament. Both of them scored 7,5 points out of 9 games. Khmiadashvili won the title, as she managed to win against Gaprindashvili in third round. Bronze medal went to WIM Tatiana Titorenko (RUS).

The closing ceremony took place in the tournament venue. Mr. Roberto Rivello, Chairman of FIDE Constitutional Commission, Member of FIDE Executive Board and Vice President of Italian Chess Federation, together with Mr. Lorenzo Lucchini, Mayor of Acqui Terme, gave the trophies to the medal winners.

The final standings:

Open +50:

GM Julian Granda Zuniga (PER) 9,5

GM Rogelio Antonio (PHI) 8,5

GM Eric Prie (FRA) 8,5

Open +65:

GM Evgeny Sveshnikov (RUS) 8,5

GM Anatoly Vaisser (FRA) 8

GM Vlastimil Jansa (CZE) 8

Women +50:

WGM Elvira Berend (LUX) 7

WGM Marina Makropoulou (GRE) 6

WGM Galina Strutinskaia (RUS) 6

Women +65:

WGM Tamar Khmiadashvili (GEO) 7,5

GM Nona Gaprindashvili (GEO) 7,5

WIM Tatiana Titorenko (RUS) 6,5

Next World Senior Championship will be organized in November 2018 in Bled, Slovenia.